The ECHO Yearbook (Spring 1979)

Football Team Captures First Region Title

Billy Blaylock

5-AAAA Region Champs

From The ECHO (Spring 1979):

"The 1978 Season was not supposed to be the year Sprayberry won its first Region Title. Serious graduation losses and one of the toughest schedules in 5-AAAA football seemed to limit the Jackets markedly before the season had even gotten started.

In the opener against Wills, the team played a sluggish game, but came away with the win, 17-6.

The Jackets then faced a tough game with rival Wheeler, and gave the Wildcats more than they could handle. Quarterback Billy BLaylock's 22-yard scamper sealed Wheeler's fate and gave the Jackets their second win.

At Cedartown, the Jackets battled the Top-Ranked Bulldogs to 6-6 tie.

The Blue Devils from Marietta visited the Jackets before a full house and won the contest 23-0. The coaching staff had suspended seven players from the game for violating curfew regulations, but perhaps the inexerienced Yellow Jackets weren't ready for such a pressure-packed game.

After the discouraging loss to Marietta, the team regrouped and made a commitment. As a result, the team went on a rampage, winning everything in sight. McEachern, South Cobb, North Cobb, Cherokee, and Walton all fell to the Jackets. By defeting Walton, 6-0, the Jackets assured themselves of a spot in the SubRegion Playoffs.

November 3rd marked the date of the rematch with Marietta, but on a cold and windy night, the upset was not to be as the Jackets were sent packing, 21-7.

The first game of the SubRegion Playoffs has been the downfall for many a Jacket football team, but this one turned out to be a charm as the team defeated the Lions from Lithia Springs, 28-7. The victory set up another rematch with Marietta.

Putting the previous losses aside, the Yellow Jackets came to Northcutt Stadium flying high and ready to play. There was more at stake in this game than just pride; the winners would be the new Region 5-AAAA Champions. The game wnet into overtime as a full house of frenzied fans watched on. In this Sudden-Death Playoff, the Jackets penetrated further than Marietta and extracted the sweetest possible revenge, 11-10. The Jackets had won their first Region Title in the history of the school.

Next the Jackets faced tough Lakeside in the State Quarter-Final. Using an effective passing game that left the Jackets quessing, the Panthers prevailed, 21-7. The season was over, but a group of young men who were not supposed to win anything had compiled an excellent 8-3-1 record, were SubRegion Champs, and [for] the first time ever, Region Champs."